I WOULD like to praise a small but vital department in the vast expanse of Southampton General Hospital. It is the Acute Oncology Service which is run by a pair of the kindest, most caring, efficient and always-cheerful nurses, with doctors on call.

The unit contains two beds and two reclining chairs and deals with a constant stream of leukaemia sufferers who are well enough to be at home, but develop sudden pains, infections, illnesses etc, which could be potentially lifethreatening.

From the moment you make the call until the time you are treated and discharged, or diagnosed and admitted to a ward, you couldn’t be in better hands. I had the misfortune to need attention again last weekend, when only one nurse was available to run the department, but everything went like clockwork and we were dealt with incredibly well.

The staff are worth their weight in gold!

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